Kerala Couple Separated During Freedom Struggle In 1947, Reunite After 72 Years

A real-life love-tale set in 1946 will certainly remind you of the iconic heart-wrenching story of Veer-Zaara. The crucial socio-economic turbulence in the pre-independent India separated 18-year-old EK Narayanan Nambiar from his 14-year-old wife Sarada, just after eight months of their marriage.

Santha Kuvumbayi, the niece of our story’s hero, Nambiar, took the responsibility of reuniting her uncle and aunt.

She has also penned a novel that is centered around the peasant uprising against feudalism in 1946 which Nambiar was a part of. Santha wrote that Nambiar along with his father took a part in the farmer’s agitation. On December 29, 1947, Nambiar and his father gathered with other activists to carryout Kavumbai Farmers Rebellion. It was a farmers’ uprising against the feudal lords, to claim back their lands.

But everything, however, did not go as per the plan and the rebellion was attacked by the Malabar police. Many were shot dead while Nambiar and his father managed to flew away. They remained underground for a couple months. But the police eventually caught and imprisoned them. While Nambiar went missing, Malabar police and English officers would often raid his home which was left behind with his mother and wife, in search of him and his father. Many a time they would try to assault the ladies at home and had also set their house ablaze.

Fearing about the security of her daughter-in-law, Nambiar’s mother married off Sarada to someone else. Years later Nambiar released out of the jail and tied the knot with some other woman.

Fate and feudalism, hence, separated the lovers seven decades back. Santha, who opted to write a memoir on the freedom struggle of his uncle tracked down his years-old wife with the help of his brother and arranged a reunion.

Those who were present at the reunion describe the meet as a rush of emotions. Sarada looked shy and silent just like she would have been at the age of 14. It took a while for the couple to break the silence, reported Matrubhumi.